Charlotte gives her all for Milford Ladies
Ask youngsters breaking through in hockey in Milford Haven to name senior players who have helped them along and it is a fair bet that one of the names to regularly crop up is Charlotte Davies.
Charlotte plays up front for Milford Ladies and has been involved with the first team for about seven years now but is still only 22 and so is able to relate to the younger girls in the squad as she coaches alongside Stacy John. Also heavily involved is Charlotte's mother Diane, who played and coached for two decades and now umpires whenever she is needed – and is No 1 cheer leader for the girls when she isn't!
“She still coaches from the touchline, she just can't help getting involved,†says Charlotte with a chuckle, “and I still get teased if she has the whistle and I disagree with her – and I forget and call her mum as I protest!â€
Early start in school from a sporting family
Charlotte started out in hockey at Milford Haven School with the year seven team that was coached by Mrs Penny Bowen. Charlotte captained school teams for a number of years, playing alongside Jane Jordan, Rachel Coe, Sabrina and Lucia Todaro. She also represented Pembrokeshire Schools and was a regular in the South West Regional squad which played against their counterparts from South-East and North Wales in a triangular tournament at Bangor.
Outside of her hockey, Charlotte hails from a sporting family since dad Gary and brother Ryan are keen cricketers with Herbrandston. Charlotte also played for the ladies' team there for six years before it closed down so she has now joined Johnston as a batsman who can also bowl when needed – and says that Emma Summons is doing a great job of encouraging young girls to take part at Glebelands.
Early start at Milford Ladies – and a few years at Bath
Back on the hockey front, Charlotte set out as a 13 year old at Milford Ladies when she went along with mum Diane to coaching sessions and just fitted in gradually as the club established a junior team in which she played. She was 16 when she started playing a few games alongside Diane in the first team and has been involved ever since, other than she went off to the University of Bath to pursue her BSc Degree in Sport & Exercise. There was an amazingly strong set-up in Bath which included several internationals – and Charlotte captained the third and fourth teams as they played other colleges as far afield as Southport, Gloucester, Winchester and Bristol.
Back to Milford – and a new set-up
From there it was back to Milford Ladies and she is delighted that there is now a number of young players breaking through. Rachel Thomas is the effervescent matriarchal figure in the team and then Charlotte, Stacey and Rachel in conjunction with the emerging group who all train together at the Astroturf at Milford Haven School on Wednesday evenings. The club would also like to encourage boys to enlist in the future because there are mixed competitions available from time to time.
Charlotte enjoyed playing in the former Pembrokeshire Hockey League because the players from a range of clubs around the county all got to know each other socially but all that has changed because Milford Ladies now compete in the South Wales Hockey set-up. It has improved the overall standard of play but there is inevitably a lot more travel with games as far afield as Cardiff – although the girls often take a mini-bus so that they can enjoy themselves off the field as well as on it.
Disappointment – and anticipation
Last season saw Milford Ladies just miss out on promotion as they came third in their section, but there is already a great deal of enthusiasm for the new league programme which starts in late September. Before that there is a pre-season Pembrokeshire tournament planned at the Astroturf at STP School so that old acquaintances and rivalries can be resumed in a series of 'friendly' games.
Charlotte and her pals are hopeful that the hockey shown in the Olympic Games might trigger an increased interest locally and they are on the look-out to recruit anyone who thinks they have something to offer. And there is one thing for sure – like the younger members already playing they are guaranteed a warm welcome by Charlotte Davies, who really does do a great job for Milford Ladies Hockey Club, on and off the pitch!
PHOTOS:
Charlotte Davies
Charlotte in action
Charlotte - busy as ever
Charlotte on the ball
Charlotte as part of the Milford Ladies Hockey team